


Learning to Love (Book Two)

by Rynne_Harrison



Series: The Chris and Emily Series [2]
Category: Chris Pine RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, Star Trek: AOS, The Finest Hours, Wonder Woman (2017) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-06-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 18:11:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9504455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rynne_Harrison/pseuds/Rynne_Harrison
Summary: Emily Lawrence, a single mother and out of work waitress took a chance on love and life with Chris Pine, an A-list actor from Hollywood. She's now in a loving relationship and living a life that she could only dream of.When Emily and Chris go to California, Emily gets a taste of what Chris does for a living. She sees the 'beautiful people' surrounding her. The more he opens up his world to her, the more she wants to be in that world with him.Back home in Lancaster, Ohio something sinister is stalking Emily and Chris, trying to destroy what Emily has fought so hard to build: herself.Is Emily ready for the bright lights of Hollywood? Or will her fairy tale dream end in tears and heartbreak?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by the fabulous Bebedora... Thank you for everything you've done.

  **August, 2015**

**Los Angeles, California**

 

The sun glinted off of the silver body of the aircraft as it taxied up to the awaiting gate. The passengers, having heard their instructions for disembarking, waited patiently for the plane to arrive at the terminal. There were two passengers in particular whose eyes were glued to the window as the plane rolled along.

“Holy shit…” Emily Lawrence muttered. “I thought Columbus was big, but this…”

Her companion chuckled as he raised her knuckles to his lips. “Babe, Columbus is tiny compared to this monster.”

She glanced over at him, their blue eyes meeting. “Yeah, but still…”

Emily turned back to the window and looked out over the mass of planes. In some ways, she still couldn’t believe her life was the way it was. Just three months ago, she was a nobody, a single mother trapped in a dead-end job. And now, here she was about to disembark a plane that had landed in Los Angeles, California, with Chris Pine, the love of her life, who also happened to be one of the hottest actors in town.

Emily had seen Chris in _The Princess Diaries Two,_ his first movie role, and had always wanted to meet the young actor. He had intrigued her even then. Now, eleven years later, in a rare twist of fate, she had not only met him but was now in a loving relationship with him.

“You ready for what’s about to happen?” Chris’ voice broke through her thoughts. “I know you and Jordan have talked about it.”

“I…I have no idea. Can we run through it again?”

“We’ll be alright until we get to the lower level of the airport. They can’t get up to the gates. Just stay close to me. Ignore what they’re shouting. They’re going to say things to get a reaction out of us.” Chris turned to Mac. “And you, Munchkin, grab your mom’s hand and don’t let go.”

Chris tapped the bill of the cap that Emily wore. “And don’t take off the hats or the glasses until we get into the car.”

Emily took a deep breath. “Sounds like a plan.”

The flight attendant announced that the passengers could once again turn on their cell phones. Chris immediately switched his on and was greeted with a text. He looked down at the display. “Good. My driver and assistant are already here waiting for us. They’re going to pick the bags up so we can go right to the car.” Chris texted a quick reply then put his phone away. He turned to Emily. “Babe, you got this.”

“I just don’t want to embarrass you.”

“You won’t. I’ll be right beside you.”

The plane came to a stop next to the gate. As the flight attendants readied the cabin, Emily ran through some deep breathing techniques to try and relax. A chime sounded followed by an announcement.

_“Thank you for flying with American Airlines. We hope that you’ve had a pleasant flight. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Los Angeles.”_

Emily grabbed her backpack from under the seat in front of her. Chris nodded to Mac for her to stand and wait as he helped Emily out. Together the three of them walked through the hatch and down the long hallway to the main concourse of the airport.

Emily stopped for a moment as she looked around at the bustling activity of the terminal. “Holy fuck…” she muttered under her breath.

Chris chuckled. “I know, Ems. We gotta keep moving.”

Emily looked up at him. “Right.” She reached for his hand, and instantly felt the warmth of his encircle her own. As he walked beside her, she saw some heads turn in their direction. A confidence that she had felt only in Lancaster was slowly replacing her nervous energy. She knew that she hadn’t even faced the gauntlet that Chris had described, but she was feeling better about being here.

“Mister Pine?”

Chris turned as a woman dressed in a crisp black business suit approached them along with a security officer. “Yes?”

“Welcome home, Sir. I’m Keri, V.I.P. Customer Relations with American Airlines. If you’ll follow me, I’ll escort you through the airport to your car.” She looked at the bag that Emily was holding. “Do you have any luggage that you need to pick up?”

“My assistant is doing that for us,” Chris told her.

“Very well, Sir. If you’ll follow me then.”

They set off at a brisk pace through the airport. Emily glanced at everything. She had never really seen anything like this before. She was overwhelmed at the amount of shops and restaurants that were actually inside the terminal. Columbus—and even the airport in Virginia—was nothing like she was seeing now. It was like a whole other world.

“Have you ever been to L.A., ma’am?” Keri asked.

Emily shook her head. “No. I’ve always wanted to visit, but never got the chance. Until now.” She looked up at Chris, smiling.

“Well then, welcome to Los Angeles,” Kari told her.

As they made their way to a bank of elevators, Chris’ phone beeped. He took it out and checked it. “Great. Sarah got the bags, so we’re all set.” The elevator doors opened and they walked inside. As the doors closed, Keri pressed a button to the Arrivals Level. Emily felt her stomach flutter with nerves as they got closer to leaving the airport.

“Hey, look at me.”

Chris reached out and lowered her glasses so he could see her eyes. She instantly looked up and locked onto his eyes as he slid his own glasses down. “You got this, babe. Use some of that training that I know you got in school.”

Emily took a deep breath, nodding. She slid the glasses back onto her face and pushed the bag up to her shoulders. She squeezed Mac’s hand as reassuringly as she could.

The elevator stopped and Chris glanced at them. “Mac, stay close to your mom now.” The doors slid open and they took a moment to reorient themselves. They stepped out as a call came over the security officer’s radio.

As they walked, they could see the flashes of strobes going off near the entrance of the airport. _Another celebrity probably,_ Emily thought. She didn’t realize that the paparazzi were already covering their arrival on film.

Another security guard appeared along with a casually dressed blonde woman, pushing a luggage cart. Emily recognized the suitcases as being theirs.

“Hi Sarah. Long time no see.”

“Mister Pine.” At his look, she stopped. “I mean, Chris. It’s good to see you again.” She looked down at the bags. “I double checked to make sure I got everything. We’re ready to go, the car is waiting out front.”

“Great.” He glanced down at Emily. “Do you want to put the backpack on the cart?”

“Will it help us move faster?”

Chris took the bag from her and placed it on top of the other bags. “There. That way if I need to, I can keep a hold of you better.”

Chris reached for Emily’s hand and intertwined their fingers. He leaned down. “You ready?”

Emily squared her shoulders. “Let’s do this, Pine.”

“Atta girl.”

They purposely strode toward the entrance where they were immediately inundated with numerous flashbulbs. Chris let a relaxed smile grace his face as more photographers jostled for position and started shouting out questions.

“Hey Chris? Who’s that with you?”

“Where have you been?”

“Hey, Chris where you been hiding them? Are they your secret family? Is the kid yours?”

They started directing more questions toward Emily and Mac after they realized that Chris wasn’t going to answer.

“Hey, dollface. What’s your name?”

“How’d you two meet?”

All the shouts blended into one raucous noise. Emily’s ears were ringing with the sound. She moved closer to Chris’ warm body to try and drown out the voices.

Suddenly, it seemed like everything was going off in slow motion.

A photographer stepped in close to snap a picture of Emily before a security guard could stop him. Emily felt Mac’s hand slip from her grasp as she was separated from her daughter. She watched in horror, as Mac was knocked to the ground by the photographer’s bag.

“Chris!” Emily cried.

A security guard barreled through and tried to block the man from taking the photograph. “Back off!” he growled.

In an instant Chris scooped the little girl up in his arms, settling her against his right hip. He whispered into her ear, and as she nodded, wrapped her arms around his neck. He grabbed Emily’s hand again with his left.

They walked quickly out the automatic doors to the waiting limo, ducking into luxurious passenger compartment. The driver quickly loaded the bags into the trunk.

They settled back into the seats. Emily sat Mac on her lap as she removed the little girl’s sunglasses and brushed her tears away and took off her hat. “Are you okay, baby?”

“Uh-huh.” Mac reached out for Chris and he lifted her and settled her down in his lap. “Thank you for rescuing me.” She kissed him on the cheek.

“You’re welcome, Munchkin. You’re my girl, too.”

As Mac crawled back over to the other side of Emily, the driver got into the car and immediately pulled away from the curb.

“Welcome home, Mister Pine.”

“Thank you, Tom. It’s good to be back. Except for that. That’s one thing I didn’t miss.”

“Are we stopping at the usual place, Sir?”

Chris laughed. “Tom, you know me too well.”

Emily perked her eyebrows quizzically at him. “And just what are you up to now?”

“Just tradition, that’s all. Sit back and enjoy the ride.” Chris squeezed her hand.

As the car moved through the airport lots and out onto the freeway, Emily sat back, took her hat off and slid her sunglasses back up her nose, letting her eyes close. She thought about everything that had happened at the airport and what could’ve happened. Her mind replayed the terrifying moments when she had lost Mac’s hand.

“Hey, everything’s okay. We’re safe now.”

Emily sighed, opening her eyes. “But what about the pictures? You know that shot of you holding Mac is going to be all over the tabloids and the internet by sundown tonight. I think we just made it worse for you.”

“No, you didn’t. Besides, what was I supposed to do? I love Mac like she was my own. Of course, I’m going to protect her. Just like I’m protecting you.” He looked at her. “If anything happens with the pictures, I’ve got people who can help us deal with it. We can put out a statement or anything that we want to do—or we can do nothing at all. It’s none of their business anyway. Let’s just see what happens. But for right now, I want you to enjoy yourself. Alright?”

She nodded, closing her eyes again, letting herself be soothed by the rhythm of the road. After several minutes, she cracked an eye open. “Do you do this often?”

Chris glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

“The limo and everything like that.”

“Only when I fly in or out or when there’s an event that I have to go to. The only time that I didn’t was when I flew out to Lancaster. I didn’t really have time and I really wanted to fly under the radar. Katie took me to the airport.” He took a breath. “Otherwise, I like to drive myself. When we go to Anaheim for the expo we’ll have a hired car. But when we go to the parks or run errands, we can drive ourselves.”

“Oh…” She breathed deep. “You’d really trust me with one of your cars?”

“Of course I do.” Chris took her hand and brought it up to his lips. “Babe, it’ll be just like it was back in Lancaster.” Then he stopped. “Well, not exactly. We’ll probably have some crazy fans and some paps to deal with, but other than that, we’ll still have our bubble. We can stay at home and relax or do whatever.”

“So, this place that we’re going to, your ‘tradition’. What is it?”

“It’s a little taco stand that I’ve been going to forever. Has some of the best Mexican food around.” He lowered his voice. “Surely you’ve got to know this little tidbit about me?”

Emily thought back to everything that she had heard or read about him. _Tacos…tacos…oh shit…_ “We’re going to Tacos Delta, aren’t we?”

“Yep. Whenever I’ve been away for a long time, it’s the first place I stop before I go home. Unless I come in on a red-eye or something like that and they’re not open. Kinda makes me remember where I come from.”

“I can’t wait. I’ve heard you talk about this place so much.”

“Well, you’re about to experience it.”

The car rolled to a stop and parked. Before the driver could open the door, Chris opened it and got out of the car. Helping Emily then Mac out, he turned and looked around. “Feel like stretching your legs a little?”

“My God, yes.” Emily glanced up at the buildings and the palm trees. She reached for his hand. “So, are we close to your neighborhood?”

“Yeah. We’re about ten minutes away from home. Technically, we’re in Silver Lake right now. Los Feliz is up to the north.”

They walked up through the private lot towards the front of the brightly painted stand. Smells of cooking meat and Mexican spices wafted through the air. A few people milled about, waiting for their orders. Laughter could be heard around the back under an awning where there was seating. While waiting in line, they studied the menu.

“Are we taking this home?” Emily asked.

“I thought we could. Today and tonight we’ll just relax and maybe take a swim later. Then tomorrow, we can get some staples grocery-wise and I can show you guys around. I have to let Katie know that we made it in. She already said that she’d watch Mac while we meet with Roger and everyone.”

“Sounds like you’ve got everything worked out.”

“I try.” Chris bent down to Mac’s level. “So Munchkin, have you decided what you want?”

“I want tacos.”

He grinned at her. “I figured you might. A girl after my own heart. How about you Ems?”

“I’m with Mac. I’m going to have what she’s having.”

“So, two orders of tacos and two diets? Coming right up!” Chris stepped up to the window and ordered their food while Emily and Mac soaked up the atmosphere.

“Mac, I’m sorry about what happened at the airport. Are you really okay?”

“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. I just don’t understand why they were taking pictures of you too.”

Emily sighed. “Well, honey, it’s because I’m dating Chris, and he’s famous. Those people at the airport make their living taking pictures of celebrities like him. It’s just something that we’re going to have to get used to when we’re here. In Lancaster, we have it easier. People know us and they know Chris just as my boyfriend. But here? Here is a little different.”

“So does that mean that we’re famous by ass—association?” Mac asked, struggling with the last word.

Emily knew that Mac was having difficulty with understanding everything that had happened at the airport. She didn’t even quite comprehend everything that occurred.

“I guess it does. People don’t know who we are and when someone like Chris shows up with people like us, it makes entertainment news. They want to know who we are and why we’re with him.”

She took a breath. “I know that it doesn’t make any sense to you. It barely makes any sense to me. I didn’t know that it was going to be like that. But next time, we’ll have it worked out better. I promise.”

Soon, Chris came back with a couple white plastic bags brimming with take-out containers. “You ladies ready to go? Time’s a-wasting.”

Emily giggled. “Jesus Chris, you get enough food?”

“I can’t help it,” he pouted. “I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry. Seriously, I don’t know how your mom coped with you.”

He grinned as they strolled back to their car. “There’s sometimes I don’t know how she did it either.”

As they approached, Tom waited to open the door for them. Mac slid in first, followed by Emily and then Chris. Tom closed the door behind them and quickly got into the driver’s seat.

“Home, Mister Pine?”

“You better believe it, Tom. We’re bushed and starving.”

Emily watched out the window as the scenery started to move past her window. She thought back to her conversation with Mac. Somehow, she just knew that the picture of Chris carrying Mac out of the Arrival area of the airport would create a firestorm with not only his fans, but with the gossip sites on the Internet and the entertainment TV shows. She was worried that she had just dealt a misstep to his career.

“You’re quiet. What are you thinking about?”Chris’ voice interrupted her thoughts. “You still thinking about the airport, aren’t you?”

“Chris, I can’t help but think about it. I’m just afraid that everything’s going to be blown out of proportion. They’re going to make up lies about us, about you. I know how that picture is going to be interpreted.”

“Alright. How?”

Emily fixed his eyes with hers. “Like a father rescuing his daughter,” she told him quietly. “People are bound to draw comparisons between you and her. About how you and Mac look alike.” She took a breath. “Even your Mom said something about it. I just…”

“You just what?”

“I don’t want to hurt your career because of all of this.”

Chris reached out and took her hand. “It won’t hurt my career. But if it’ll make you feel any better, I’ll call Roger tonight and let him know what happened. He can call my publicist and see if we need to do anything and we can discuss it tomorrow when we meet with them.”

“It _would_ make me feel better.”

Emily fell quiet as Chris squeezed her hand reassuringly, watching the city fade into the rolling hills of Hollywood. Her eyes widened as they passed mansion after mansion. Finally after about five minutes, the car turned into a gated paved stone driveway. It rolled to a stop and parked. Tom released the trunk latch, then got out of the car and went to the passenger’s side door to open it. Chris got out, then he turned and held out a hand to Emily, helping her out.

“Welcome to _Casa de Pine_.”

Emily looked around at the house and land. “Holy shit, Chris! This is beautiful.”

The house was a European-style one story. One side of it was entirely covered with ivy. The surrounding hillside was blanketed with trees and other plants that showed off Chris’ passion for gardening.

Tom went to unload the trunk as Chris unlocked the front door and stepped inside to disable the alarm. As the last of the bags were placed inside, Chris thanked the driver and promised to talk to him soon. He closed the door as Tom got back into his vehicle and drove off.

Emily wandered inside just absorbing everything that she was looking at. They say that you can tell a lot by people’s homes. And she could tell a lot by looking at Chris’. It was neat, but still looked like someone lived here. Family snapshots were scattered throughout the living room along with different pieces of art. Books were tastefully spread out on the coffee and end tables.

The kitchen was another dream very much like the house in Lancaster. Gourmet appliances lined the galley style space, along with the dining room that opened out into an outdoor seating area.

“Living room is here, kitchen is there.” Chris picked up Mac’s bags as Emily picked up her own. “C’mon, Munchkin. I’ll show you where you’re going to be staying.” They followed him to a tastefully decorated guest bedroom. He walked inside and placed her suitcases on the bed. “You’ll be in here.” He took Emily’s bags from her. “And you,” he led Emily down a hallway to the master suite, “will be in here with me.” He put her suitcases on the bed as Emily looked around the room.

“This is gorgeous.”

“Thank you. I’m still not truly done with it, just because I haven’t been here all that much, but maybe someday.”

“I don’t think you ever really finish making a house into a home. It’s supposed to reflect what you’re into or what you’re doing right at that moment. It’s always changing, always evolving, like us.”

Chris smiled. “I like that.”

Emily followed him out of his room, glancing at the different artwork that hung in the hallways.

“I figured that we could eat first, and then unpack and decide what we wanted to do.”

“That sounds good. I’m actually getting hungry now.”

“Your nerves have calmed down?”

“They’ve started to.”

Chris pulled her closer. “I know one thing that would really calm them down.”

“Oh, and what’s that?” Emily asked as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“This.” He reached up and clasped her head within his large hands. “I love you, Ems. I’m so glad you and Mac are here with me.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers.

Emily let herself fall right into the kiss. Her heart beat faster, but the butterflies that were in her stomach calmed. Chris had always had that effect on her. That was one of the many reasons she loved him. She had always felt safe with him. And now because of everything that they had gone through, she trusted him with her life and the life of her daughter. She pulled away, trying to catch her breath. “I love you too, Christopher.” She rested her head against his chest, hearing his heart beat.

“Mom, I’m hungry.” Mac called from the kitchen.

“Me too, let’s eat!” Emily followed Chris into the kitchen, where he got down some plates. They all fixed their meals and sat down at the table.

Emily didn’t realize how hungry she actually was. When the first morsel hit her tongue, she instantly decided she quickly needed another bite. “Good Lord, now I know why you go to that place. This is delicious.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ve never had a bad meal there, and it’s cheap.”

They fell silent as they devoured their food, and Chris and Emily ended up sharing his burrito. Emily moaned as she tasted the different flavors.

Finally, after dabbing her lips on a paper towel, she pushed back her chair. “I’m stuffed. That was so good.”

“I’m glad you liked it.” 

“Mom, may I be excused so I can unpack?”

“Sure, sweetie.” Emily got up and put all the dishes in the sink. Looking over at him, she asked, “Would you mind if I lay down? I know it’s probably going to fuck with my sleep cycle but after today, I’m beat.”

“Go ahead, babe. I’m just going to wash up here, and then unpack.” At her look, he added. “I’m also going to call Roger and let him know what happened.”

“Sounds good.” Emily walked down the hallway and peeked into the guest room. Mac had already started to unpack her clothes and put them away along with the stuffed animal that she had brought. She never went anywhere without the bear that Chris had bought her. Chris was quickly becoming the most important man in both of their lives.

She ducked back out and walked down the hallway to the master bedroom. She unzipped one of the bags and rummaged around until she found a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top. Emily moved her suitcases to the floor, glancing out of the window at the Hollywood sign up on the hillside.

“Holy shit. I still can’t believe I’m here,” she muttered.

_“Believe it, babe. You are.”_

She turned and spied Chris lounging in the doorway. He closed the door behind him.

“You look so good here in my house. Like you belong here.”

Emily winked. “I bet you say that to all of the beautiful women that you bring here.”

Chris bit his lip. “To be honest, Ems. There’s been only one beautiful woman that I’ve ever brought here and I’m looking at her.”

“You mean? I thought…”

“You thought what? That every time I was in a relationship or dated anyone, they moved in with me? Nope. That’s not how I operate. With all of the exes I would go over to their houses, or not at all. I guess I wanted to keep this place all to myself. This was my sanctuary. Until now. Now it can be _our_ sanctuary.”

Chris pulled her closer and made her stand in front of him. “I want to help you relax. Will you let me?”

She made a slight movement of her head.

“Arms up then.”

Emily watched as he pulled her t-shirt out of the waistband of her jeans, then slowly pulled it up over her head and dropped it onto the floor. Her eyes followed him as he kneeled in front of her and undid her pants, sliding them down her legs to her feet. Emily put her hand on his shoulders to help steady herself as she stepped out of them.

Their eyes locked as he looked up at her. She was wearing a deep blue bra and matching underwear that showed off her flawless complexion to perfection.

“God, if I had known you were wearing these, we wouldn’t have made our flight. I would’ve kept you in Ohio.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing that you didn’t know what I had on, then.”

“Yeah, but you’re still torturing me.”

“I could always put my pajamas on.” Emily smirked at him as he stood.

“No, you’re not. I have a better idea.” Chris wrapped his arms around her and gently unhooked her bra, letting it fall.

“Oh God, Chris…What are you…?”

“I’ll be right back. I want you to get on the bed, face down, alright?”

He disappeared into the bathroom, as she pulled the covers back on the bed and got in on her stomach like he’d asked. Emily heard his footsteps as he walked back into the room and felt his weight on the bed and over her backside. There was a click of a cap and squirt as Chris hovered over her.

She moaned as his strong hands started kneading the muscles of her back and shoulders with the warm lotion. She sunk into the bed, relaxing for the first time since they had taken off from Columbus.

His lips nuzzled her neck as he bent over her. “Feel good?”

“Feels amazing,” Emily moaned. “Will I get a happy ending?”

The bed moved slightly at Chris’ chuckle. “Not right now. But later? Most definitely. Now that I’ve had you, you’re like a drug. I can’t get enough.” His hands followed her spinal cord all the way down to her lower back to the band of her underwear. He massaged his hands and fingers into her back, finding all of the knots of tension and working them until they released.

Emily sighed with pleasure as he worked. Her eyes closed as she drifted to sleep.

 #

 Chris smiled as he watched Emily fall asleep. He had known that she had been so nervous about this trip that she had barely slept the night before. With the fiasco at the airport, it was no wonder she was exhausted.

He wiped his hands on a towel from the bathroom then leaned down and kissed Emily’s cheek gently. “Sleep well, sweetheart.” Chris got up from the bed, pulling the covers over Emily’s body.

His cell phone went off with Roger’s assigned ringtone. He pulled it out and walked quickly out of the room, closing the door behind him.

“Hello?”

_“Hey, Chris. It’s Roger. Are we still set for the meeting tomorrow?”_

Chris peered in to the guest bedroom. Mac was nowhere to be seen, but he heard the TV on in the living room. _Well, Munchkin’s already made herself at home._ “We are. In fact, I wanted to let you know. I’m definitely bringing Emily with me.”

 _“Oh?”_ Roger paused. _“What happened?”_

Running his fingers through his hair, Chris sighed as he walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa next to Mac. “There was an incident at the airport. A photographer got a little too close and knocked Emily’s daughter down with something before security could do anything. I don’t know if it was his bag or him. It all happened so fast.” Chris took a deep breath. “But anyways, I kinda swooped in and scooped her up and carried her out of the airport.”

_“First of all, is she okay? I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten her name.”_

“It’s Mackenzie, but Mac for short. She’s fine. She got scared and there were some tears in the car. But she’s okay now. In fact, she and I are sitting here on the couch watching TV, while Emily’s sleeping.” He ruffled Mac’s hair as she cuddled in next to him.

_“And I take it there’s probably art?”_

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there was. I’ve never had that many surrounding me at the airport. Red carpets, yeah. But never at the airport. It felt like a fucking ambush.”

 _“Let me take a look.”_ Chris could hear Roger typing away at his keyboard of his computer. _“Dammit! Yeah, there’s art. It’s already out on the webs.”_ Roger stopped. _“You didn’t tell me that she looked like you.”_

“I didn't think it was important. From them can you tell what she looks like?”

_“Oh yeah. It must’ve knocked her glasses down and they got a good shot of her face. I’m seeing dark hair and bright blue eyes, just like a client of mine. Please tell me that you and Emily didn’t hook up years ago and have a kid in secret.”_

“Roger, c’mon man, you know me better than that. Mac got her looks from her mother. But back in Lancaster and even in Columbus, we’ve been mistaken for being related. My own mom made the comparison, too.”

Roger sighed over the phone line. _“Well, unfortunately, that’s the conclusions that the tabloids are making. That you’ve got a secret family and that the kid is yours.”_

“So, what do you suggest?”

_“I think we definitely need to contact Angela and explain what happened. And see what she says.”_

Chris took a breath. “Roger, tell me straight. Worst-case scenario. What are we looking at?”

_“To be honest, Chris. You might take a little bit of a hit, but after the dust settles you’ll be fine. Once it comes out that Mackenzie isn’t yours and that you’re dating a single mother, it might just endear you to even more people. She’s a cute kid, really cute.”_

Roger paused. _“I’ll get a hold of Angela and forward these on to her. We’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow and see if we can nip this in the bud. Maybe we can get them to get the story right or even print a retraction.”_ He took a breath. _“I’m looking at some of the other pics. The petite brunette in the orange cap is Emily?”_

“That’s her.”

_“She’s beautiful, from what I can tell. No wonder you fell for her. You two look good together. She looked like she handled the cameras pretty well until the pap got too close.”_

“She did. I’m so proud of her. She barely slept last night just because she was so nervous about the flight out and the airport.”

_“Okay, well, I’ll let Angela know about everything. Don’t worry, Chris. We’ll take care of this. By the way, welcome home.”_

“Thanks, Roger. See you tomorrow.” Chris hung up the phone and tucked it back into his back pocket.

“Is Mom asleep?”

Chris turned to Mac. “Yeah, she is. She didn’t sleep that well last night.”

The little girl tucked herself next to him. “Chris?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you ever think about being a dad?”

Chris looked down at her, her blue eyes so much like Emily’s and his own. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged and focused her attention back to the television.

“To be honest, Mac, I never thought about it before I met you and your Mom. But now, I think about it a lot.” He paused. “Are you worried about school and the father/daughter thing?”

“A little. I really want to go this year.”

Chris smiled gently down at the little girl. “I already told you that I would take you, so don’t worry about that.”

“I know.” She stopped, biting her lip.

“Mac, what’s on your mind?”

“I just…I just really want you to be my dad.”

Chris pulled her to him and hugged the little girl. “Oh, Mac. I would really like that, too. Now isn’t exactly the right time. But, I promise you that I’ll start looking into it.”

He felt her relax into his side as they turned to the images on the TV.

 #

 As the evening wore on, Chris talked to his sister and arranged plans for the next day, before they settled in for the night. Mac fell asleep next to him on the couch, and he carried her into the guest bedroom. He glanced around the room after tucking her in and decided that maybe it was time to make it a little more Mac-friendly. The time change was finally catching up with him. He padded down the hallway to his room and took a moment to watch the moonlight filter through his bedroom window and land on Emily’s bare skin. The sheets had fallen so that her back was exposed to the soft light.

She looked so peaceful, so innocent, so _right_ in his bed as she slept.

Chris silently undressed, leaving his clothes in a pile on the floor. He slipped into bed, pulling her closer, so that her head naturally rested on his chest.

“Hmmm…sorry I conked out on you. I didn’t mean to.”

Smiling down at her as her blue eyes shone in the moonlight, he whispered. “Babe, it’s okay. You needed the rest. You had a huge day today.”

“Mac in bed?”

“All tucked in safe and snug. The alarm’s set. I’ve talked to both Katie and Roger, and everything’s set for tomorrow.”

“You’re a good man.”

Chris leaned down and kissed her hair. “Go back to sleep. I love you, Ems.”

Emily’s voice faded in the darkness as she fell back asleep. “I love you too, Chris.”

 #

 Across the country from where the two lovers slept, the night was still and silent. A dark car made its way down a familiar street, the driver intent on finding his destination. He came to a stop in front of a white Victorian house, a _For Sale_ sign in its front yard. Rolling down his window, he peered through the darkness at the unlit windows, the empty driveway where the white truck had once stood.

_Dammit! The slut moved!_

His plan that had been so brilliantly executed had backfired. He thought for sure that ‘Mister Rich Boy’ would leave Emily and her troubles behind, but that wasn’t to be.

He pounded his fist against the steering wheel in anger. _Why can’t she see? Why can’t I have her?_

His fingers tightened on the wheel of the car, his mind racing. He imagined how incredible it would feel to choke the life out of her, the silky soft skin of her throat being crushed under his powerful fingers. To see the spark of life drain out of her eyes as she suffered one final humiliation at his hands. _It would be so good._

He pulled away from the curb with one last glance at the vacant house. Tomorrow, he would try to find out from Bill where exactly Emily had moved to. And then it would almost be time for the next step of his plan.

The notes weren’t enough, he realized. Neither was the brick. That had just caused her to run into the arms of ‘Rich Boy’. Scaring wasn’t enough. Now, he had to destroy. Destroy everything and everyone that she loved, so that she would come running back to him.

He made his way back to the dingy motel room. Lighting up a cigarette, he let the nicotine calm him. The smoke drifted lazily towards the ceiling as he contemplated his next move. Now was the time to plan and make sure that he had a foolproof way to make Emily his for eternity.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never been at a loss for words, but I am right now. First of all, I want to thank everyone who has stuck by me. Between Real Life and some things I've been dealing with, I've had a massive writer's block. All of your kind comments have helped so much and are so appreciated. I can't tell you the amount of times that I've cried reading the comments, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really hope you enjoy this next chapter. Next, I'm not sure when I'll update next, but please stick with me, I do plan on writing and finishing. I've even got a third story in the works as well. I love these characters so much. Enjoy.

Emily awoke to the pre-dawn darkness. For a moment, she was confused by the unfamiliar shadows around the room. Her body told her that the sun was supposed to be up, but it wasn't. Then she remembered the previous day. She was with Chris in his bedroom in California.

During the night, Chris had turned them both onto their sides, spooning her. She could feel him pressed up against her body. She pulled away from him and slid her panties down, dropping them to the floor. Settling back against him, Emily bit her lip and reached behind her, gripping him. She scooted back until she could feel him at her entrance. As she took him in, Emily moaned softly, adjusting to his size.

“Oh my God…”

She never thought that she would ever look upon this act as feeling good. But with Chris, it was different. With him, she was able to forget her past and live in the present. He made her feel wonderful and loved.

Emily started moving slightly on him. She wasn’t well-practiced with this, but it felt amazing. She could tell when the man behind her woke up. One of his hands drifted down to caress between her legs as the other rolled her nipple causing it to stand to a point.

“That was a helluva way to wake up, Ms. Lawrence. You feeling frisky?” Chris’s voice growled, heavy with sleep as he nuzzled her neck.

“No more than usual, Mister Pine.”

In a blink of an eye, Chris had pulled out and flipped her onto her back. He settled himself back between her spread thighs, sheathing himself inside her. “Oh shit, you feel good.”

Emily looked up into his glittering eyes. “So do you.”

He was so gentle with her. Their loving was slow and unhurried. There was no need to claim. They already knew that they belonged to each other.

Emily sighed as she draped her arms around his neck. She pulled his head down and kissed him, urging him to move faster. Her muscles clenched as he thrust within her. “Oh, fuck…Chris. I love you.”

“I love you too, Ems.”

She moaned as her muscles tightened around him. Emily closed her eyes as she kept climbing towards the heavens. “I’m…oh, my God…I’m gonna…”

Chris’ hips flexed as he went deeper into her. She shuddered as she raced towards her climax. Finally, she felt the band within her break and she flew off into ecstasy, pulling him along after her. Chris’ arms gave out and he collapsed onto Emily, breathing heavily.

Emily tried to take in as much air as she could into her lungs. “My Lord,” she panted. “That was…”

Chris licked his lips. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face as he rose up from her body. “Every time gets better and better with you.”

She smiled softly at him. “Yeah, it does. I’m sorry I woke you, but I couldn’t resist.”

“Don’t be sorry, babe. I’m not. That was fun. I wouldn’t mind being woken up like that more often. In fact, I think I’ve created a monster.”

Emily giggled. “You most certainly have. I’m starting to think that morning sex is some of the best.”

“Told you.” Chris groaned as he pulled out of her warmth. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart.” He slid out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom.

Within moments, he was back. She laid there relaxing as he cleaned both of them and then threw the warm damp washcloth into the hamper. Sliding back into bed, he gathered her closer to him so that her head rested on his chest. “How’d you sleep?”

“Good. I was a little confused at first. Guess I’m not used to the time change between Ohio and here. And just being in a new place.”

“That’ll happen, trust me. Try flying from here to London then back again. You’ll really get confused.” Chris stopped for a moment. His tone became hesitant. “Ems? We need to talk about something.”

Pulling away from him, Emily looked up so she could lock on to his eyes in the darkness. “Sounds serious. What is it?”

“Roger called last night to confirm the meeting for today and I told him what happened at the airport.”

“Your manager?”

“Yeah, and you were right. They got pics of Mac’s face. When she got knocked down, her glasses must’ve slipped. So, of course, the headline that a lot of the gossip sites are running with is that she’s mine.”

Emily took a deep breath, trying to comprehend what he was saying. “They know what she looks like?” At his nod, she took a deep breath. “Chris, how bad is it?”

“It was already on the web last night. Roger was able to pull it up, but this is why I have the team that I do. He was going to forward it on to my publicist and see if she could work her magic on it. Get the sites to either take down the story or apologize and get it right. They spread these lies just so they can get ratings and everything else. They don’t do the research before they publish the stories.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have come with you. I’m starting to think that this was a bad idea.”

Chris shook his head then dropped a kiss on her hair. “Then I wouldn’t have come out here. I want you with me. You and Mac both are a part of my life, a very important part. People are just going to have to get used to the fact that I’m with you, that you’re the one that I want. I personally don’t think it’ll be as bad as you’re making it out to be. It might be rocky for a few days, but you never know.”

“I just don’t want to be considered a hindrance to your career.”

“Babe, you won’t be. Remember what I told you. My team doesn’t have a say with this part of my life. This is between you and me. And I want you here. They’re just going to have to accept it. All right?”

Emily ducked her head and whispered. “If you say so, Chris.”

“I do say so. Roger was very complimentary of you, too. I might be worried about him trying to steal you away from me, if I didn’t already know that he’s happily married.”

“I take it that you still want me there?”

“Yes. Especially now. What we discuss doesn’t just affect me anymore, but it affects you and Mac as well. You’re my girls. What happened yesterday is just a little wrinkle. I don’t want you to worry about it.”

“What time is this thing?”

“Ten.” Chris glanced over at the clock radio beside his bed. “It’s just seven now, so we’ve got about an hour to kill before we have to think about getting up. Katie’s going to swing by around nine-fifteen or so to pick Mac up, and we need to leave by nine-thirty.”

Emily snuggled into him. “It sounds like you have everything planned.”

“I do.”

“So, what do I wear?”

Chris shrugged. “I’m just wearing jeans and a decent shirt. You’d look good in anything.”

She slapped his chest gently. “I’m being serious.”

“I _am_ being serious. Just wear something casual that you’ll be comfortable in. On the way, we’ll stop by and grab some coffee since I don’t have any here. Roger and the others are used to me bringing in stuff. They know that I need my caffeine intake.”

Emily fell silent, trying to visualize what this meeting was going to look like. Any way she looked at it, it didn’t look good. She had heard plenty of stories where the celebrity’s team dictated to them what to do and who to date. She didn’t think that Chris would let that happen to him, but despite what he had told her, she couldn’t help but think that his team had a lot of say and a lot of pull in his life and career. Knowing that there were women out there who used celebrities to further their own careers, she shuddered at the thought of being labeled as such, and hoped that wasn’t the impression his management team would get from her. Sighing, she started to think that coming out here was looking more and more like a mistake.

“Hey, stop thinking so hard. Everything’s going to be all right, Ems. I promise you.” Chris leaned down and kissed her. “Trust me.”

“Well, you haven’t led me astray yet, Pine.”

He reached over and tickled her in the ribs, causing her to giggle.

“Chris! You fucker! You don’t play fair!”

They wrestled around on the bed until Emily found herself underneath him again. Chris had completely covered them with the sheets and comforter. He used his body to pin her underneath him while he tickled her again. Her giggles turned into full-on laughter.

“God, I love your laugh.” He stopped so she could catch her breath.

Emily locked eyes with him. “I like being able to laugh. Before you, I hadn’t done it for a while.”

They heard a knock at his bedroom door, then the door open slightly.

 _“Mom? Chris?”_ Mac’s voice called from the doorway.

“Shit!” Emily glanced up at Chris, alarmed. “Didn’t you close the door?”

“I left it cracked so we could hear her just in case she got scared during the night.” Chris uncovered their heads and they both looked towards the door. Mac was dressed in her pajamas and standing in the doorway, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Why don’t you go and watch TV? We’ll be out in a minute, Mac.” Chris told her.

Emily added, “And close the door.”

“O-okay, Mom.”

The door creaked shut and Chris put his head on Emily’s shoulder as she flopped her head back onto her pillow. “Great. I think we just scarred my kid for life.”

“No, we didn’t. Ems, she already knew that we share a room. It’s only logical that she would think…”

“Chris, she’s nine years old. She doesn’t need to know about that stuff, yet.”

“Honey, I hate to break it to you, but she’s already caught us in bed once. And she was fine with it. Mac is a good kid. She knows that we love each other, and that we’re a couple. She didn’t see anything. She probably just saw our faces and that was it. Please, do me a favor and just relax about it.”

Emily took a moment and really thought about what Chris had said. It was true that Mac had seen them together before. When Chris had first moved in with her, Mac had gone into her mother’s room to check on her and had seen them in bed. At the time, they were just sleeping and nothing more. As the relationship progressed and they started dating, they didn’t hide the fact from anyone that they were indeed a couple. She knew that there was always a chance that Mac would catch them in the act, but she never thought it would be like this.

Finally, Emily sighed. “Dammit. You’re right. I just thought…” She hesitated. “I guess I thought I was above being caught wrestling naked with my boyfriend by my kid.”

Chris grinned. “Well, you’re not. You’re just like all of us poor normal schmoes who got caught. Big deal. Get over it.”

“You? Normal? You are so far away from normal, it’s not even funny.” Emily sighed. “You know we should probably get up or else Mac might come in here again.”

“Yeah, you’re right, and besides I’m starting to get hungry.”

“When aren’t you?” she teased.

Chris threw his legs over the side of the bed and got up. “Hey, I’m a growing boy.”

She looked over at him, taking in his toned body as he stretched. “I honestly don’t know where you put it all. I’ve never seen anyone eat as much as you and not put any weight on. I’m so jealous. I have to work like hell to keep it off.”

“It’s called a high metabolism.” He stopped. “C’mon, let’s take a shower.”

Emily scooted off the bed, then walked over to her bags. She rummaged around locating her toiletries before following him into the bathroom. As he turned on the water, she unpacked the bottles and put them onto the shelves next to Chris’.

Chris led her into the shower. They washed each other, rinsing away the grime from their travels the day before. Emily cooed as the warm water relaxed her, not realizing how tense she actually was. She was still worried about the meeting, but knew that if Chris wasn’t concerned, then she shouldn’t be, either. However, it still weighed on her. She couldn’t shake the bad feeling that she had.

They finished showering, then leisurely dried off. Chris dressed as Emily towel-dried her hair. He watched as Emily got out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, along with some matching lingerie, this time in black. Chris moaned with appreciation.

“My God woman. Why do you insist on torturing me?”

“Because it’s fun.” Emily donned her clothes and started straightening up the room. They turned as they heard another knock on their door.

“Chris? Mom? There’s someone here.”

Emily glanced over at Chris, confused. Chris shrugged and answered. “We’ll be right there, Mac.”

Emily finished putting her things away as Chris walked out of the room. A knock at the front door echoed through the house. She walked down the hallway following the sound of voices, Chris’ and a friendly female one. There in the kitchen was Chris and the blonde woman that had met them at the airport the day before. Bags of groceries sat on the counter. Chris held his hand out to Emily.

“C’mere. I didn’t get a chance to introduce you yesterday. Ems, this is Sarah Glenn, my assistant. Sarah. Emily, my girlfriend. And the Munchkin over there, is Mackenzie.”

“It’s nice to meet you properly. It was so crazy yesterday.” Emily glanced over at the bags and happened upon a canister of coffee. “Oh my God, I think I like you already. Coffee. Must have coffee.”

“I think she’s almost as bad as you.” Sarah chuckled. “I figured Chris hadn’t gone to get groceries yet, so I went ahead and stopped to get some staples to tide you over.”

Emily looked over at her daughter, sitting watching TV. “Mac, go and get dressed while we get breakfast started.” As the little girl scampered off, Emily turned her attention to Sarah as Chris started to make coffee and put away the groceries. He pushed her away gently, so he could move faster.

“So, what exactly do you do for Chris?” Emily asked, curious. She sat next to Sarah at the bar.

“Oh, a lot of things. When he’s on set, I’ll get him whatever he needs, like his ever present coffee or food. When he’s doing events or in town, I help keep track of his schedule, make arrangements for travel, things that I guess a secretary would do. And I make sure that he has groceries for when he forgets to go get any.” She grinned over at Chris as he set coffee cups down in front of them.

Emily took a sip and smiled. “It’s perfect. Wait a minute…how did you know?”

Chris winked. “I might’ve emailed her a list ahead of time of some of things that you and Mac liked, so she could get them.”

“You sneaky little shit!” She took another drink from her mug. “But thanks for the coffee. Do you need any help?”

“You’re welcome, babe.” Chris moved around the kitchen and set about starting to fix breakfast. “You guys go ahead and talk. I’ve got this.”

Emily turned to the young woman. “How long have you worked with Chris?”

“Since he filmed _Unstoppable._ I was just out of school, didn’t know what to do and someone suggested that I become a personal assistant. I sent resumés off, not thinking that I would get anything. About a week later, I get a phone call from Chris’ manager wanting to meet me. But he never told me who it was going to be for. Just said that he had a client that was looking for a personal assistant. I wasn’t sure if it was legit or not. He suggested that we meet at coffee shop. I’m thinking, ‘Public place…that’s good.’” Sarah took a breath. “I get there, start looking around. Chris strolls up and asks my name. After I told him, he sat down and we started talking. It was the weirdest job interview I’ve ever had. It didn’t feel like an interview, at all. It was a conversation.”

“I know the feeling. Chris is disarming like that. We were friends before we ever started dating. There’s still times when I have to pinch myself that I’m living this life. It’s…surreal.”

“Join the club,” Sarah smiled at her.

Mac came back into the room and sat down next to Emily at the bar. They watched as Chris fixed breakfast. He moved with a grace around the room and looked very self-assured in the space.

Emily spoke up. “Are you going to be at this meeting with his manager and everyone?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there. Don’t tell me you’re nervous?”

Emily clasped her coffee cup tightly. “I am. Really nervous. I guess I don’t know what to expect, especially with what happened at the airport.”

“I keep telling her that it’ll be fine, but she won’t believe me.” Chris put platters of food on the bar and then proceeded to set empty plates in front of them. He came over and sat down next to Mac, and started heaping food on his plate.

Sarah looked at Emily kindly. “Emily, you don’t have anything to worry about. In fact, I think you might be surprised at how supportive Roger and the others will be.”

“Hmm…” Emily breathed. She looked down at her plate and felt her stomach clench up with nerves. Taking small bites of her food, she ended up moving it around rather than eating most of it. She just couldn’t get the bad feeling out of her head. Finally, after about ten minutes, she scooted her chair back from the bar. “Excuse me,” she said quietly, feeling their eyes on her as she left.

Emily got up, grabbed her coffee cup and went outside, closing the door behind her. She made her way down the stairs to the lower level and sat down in one of the lounge chairs surrounding the pool. Losing herself in her thoughts, she studied the crystal blue waters.

She didn’t want to ruin this trip for Mac. This was her first vacation, after all. But she didn’t know how to cope with everything that she was going through right now. She was way in over her head and didn’t know where to turn. Emily felt a tear fall from her eyes and roll down her cheek.

_“Hey, Sis. You look like you need a friendly voice to talk to.”_

Emily looked up and smiled genuinely. “Katie. Long time, no see.” She stood and hugged the woman that she considered her sister. The two had bonded during Katie’s recent trip to Ohio, and felt very close to her as a result. “Where’s the kids?”

“They’re inside, talking to Mac and Chris. You looked like you were deep in thought over something. What’s going on?” She sat down on the lounger next to Emily’s.

“You gonna charge me?” Emily teased.

“Chris I’d charge in a heartbeat, but you? Never. You’re the one that has to live with the crazy brat now. My services are free,” Katie told her, chuckling.

Emily giggled, then sobered. “Katie, I’m nervous. Well, scared is more like it.”

“About meeting his team?”

“I take it that Chris told you about what happened yesterday.”

Katie reached out and took one of Emily’s hands and squeezed it. “He did. One of the reasons why my brother and I are close is because we don’t keep secrets from each other. When he couldn’t go to Mom or Dad with something, he came to me. We talked last night and he told me exactly what happened. I even looked online and saw the pictures. I’ve never seen my brother look that way before. Around Ash and Jake, yeah, he’s protective. But that was a whole other level of protectiveness that I didn’t even think that he was capable of. He looked like he was about to take the photographer’s head off. He loves that little girl so much. And I know he loves you. So, what’s the issue?”

Emily looked steadily at Katie. “I guess…” She paused. “I guess I’m just scared of what everybody will say. That I’m trying to trap Chris in this relationship and that I’m using him to get somewhere. It wouldn’t take a lot of digging to find out that I’m an out-of-work waitress with not much of a future before I met him. And anyone with half a brain could find out about my marriage and the ex-husband.” She wrung her hands. “I know that Chris said that he’s his own man when it comes to shit like this, and I wish that I could believe him, but I don’t. I’m scared that they’re going to take one look at me and tell him that his career would be better off if he stopped seeing me.”

“I can guarantee you that that won’t happen.” Katie paused and put a hand on Emily’s knee. “Sis, look at me. One of the things that our parents instilled in us is to be our own people and to use our brains. Chris took that very seriously. The roles that he’s taken and the life that he’s led so far is because he’s curious about everything. He’s never stopped learning. He’s with you because you intrigue him. You’re a puzzle to him that he’s never going to figure out. Along the way, he fell in love with you. He’s even told me that he’d rather give up his career than give you and Mac up.” She smiled. “I never thought I’d hear my brother say that, but he did. He loves you two so much.”

_“She’s right, you know?”_

They turned as Chris ambled down the stairs. Katie squeezed Emily’s knee again. “I’m going to go visit with Mac.”

Emily watched Katie go back into the house, hearing a door shut moments later. Chris sat down across from her and reached for her hand. “Katie’s right. I would rather give up my career than give up my life with you and Mac. These last couple months that we’ve been together have been amazing. I know you’re scared about what might happen, and I wish you would believe me when I tell you that nothing will. Ems, I don’t run my life by committee. I want to be with you. Roger and the rest of them will have to get used to the fact that I’m a very happily taken man. My fans for as crazy as they may be, they’ll get used to the idea, too.”

“You’d really give up all of this to be with Mac and me?”

“In a heartbeat, Ems. I’d do anything for you and that little girl. That’s how much you mean to me. I love you so much.”

Emily took a moment and let the words that he’d spoken sink in. He could’ve left her so many times. She’d even given him the opportunity and he never took it. He’d stayed by her side through everything and shown her what a real love was. Glancing down at his hand that encircled hers, she felt a strength and a confidence that had been waiting suddenly burst through. She looked up into blue eyes that were so beautiful and steady. “I would never ask you to give up your career for me. I guess I just needed the pep talk.” Emily brushed her lips against his. “You finally got through to me. Let’s do this. I’m ready.”

“Good girl. You’ll knock ‘em dead.”

Together Emily and Chris climbed the stairs and walked into the house. Immediately she was smothered by hugs from Jake and Ash.

“We’ve missed you,” Jake lisped his ’s’, and pointed out to Emily that he’d lost a front tooth.

“I’ve missed you too. Master Jake, you’ve gotten bigger, I think.”

Ashley kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Aunt Ems. I’m happy you’re here.”

“I love you too, Ash, and I’m happy we’re here too.”

Katie clapped her hands. “Are the elves and the Munchkin ready to go?”

“Yeah!” the kids all yelled, as they ran out the front door.

Katie hung back. “I’m going to take Mac shopping, so she’ll be just fine. We’ll head over to Mom and Dad’s afterwards. It’s supposed to be a nice day, so we’ll probably end up swimming or something like that. I helped her find her swimsuit.”

Emily nodded, then called out. “Mackenzie Christine, best behavior, please!”

“I will, Mom, I promise.”

“She’ll be fine, Ems. Don’t worry. We’ll see you later.”

“See ya.” They watched as Katie herded the kids into her SUV and drove out through the gate. They turned and walked back into the house, closing and locking the door behind them.

“Sarah had some errands to run before the meeting so she’s going to meet us there.” Chris glanced down at his watch. “We should probably get going. Traffic will be fierce.” 

“Let me just grab my shoes.” Emily ran back to his bedroom. She found her sneakers and quickly put them on before jogging back to the living room. Grabbing his wallet and keys, Chris then led Emily to where she had left her purse and sunglasses. “You ready to see one of my other loves?”

“Is this the car that you compared me to?”

“One of them.”

She followed him to the garage where his cars waited. She gasped as she took in the sleek shape of the black Porsche 911 Carrera S convertible. “Good God, Chris that’s beautiful.”

“It was one of the first things I bought after I hit it big.” Chris opened the door and settled her inside. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in. He released the roof latches and started the ignition. Pressing a button, the roof automatically retracted into the compartment behind their seats. He slid his sunglasses on and grinned. “Let’s rock and roll.”

Emily relaxed against the cloth seat as he pulled out into the driveway and down the street. Sunlight filtered through the palm trees and the other foliage that dotted the landscape. Emily watched as he drove, navigating around the curves of the road. She glanced over at him. “I can see why you like this car. It’s a total chick magnet.”

He shrugged. “I got it because it’s built for speed, and it does go fast.”

“Have you had it out on the open road?”

“A few times. Never got pulled over in it, either.” He shifted gears as he drove along the highway.

“Is this the one that we’re driving back to Ohio in?”

“It’s either going to be this one or my forest green one, the hardtop,” he clarified. “I don’t really trust the Mercedes, and I don’t need the SUV since I already have one there.”

“I think you should bring this one. I like it.”

Chris reached over and grabbed her hand, bringing it up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. “I think I’m going to.”

Within twenty minutes, Chris pulled into a lot and found a parking space. Emily looked up at the impressive glass-covered structure. On the front were letters ‘ _CAA_ ’ covered in red glass, so that at night, they could be lit up. Chris turned the car off, and got out. He walked over to the passenger side and opened the door for Emily. Reaching for her hand, he helped her out and closed the door, but he didn’t let go of her. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. “You’re amazing, beautiful, strong, brave. And you’re mine.”

Her smile lit up her entire face. She was heading into the lion’s den and she actually felt every one of the words that Chris had described to her. She would make him proud.

“Holy shit. These guys are the creme de la creme of agents. I thought we were meeting at your manager’s office.”

“I keep forgetting that you actually know shit about the business. It was a change of plans. Roger thought it would be easier if we all met down here. They’ve got the space to accommodate all of us.”

“A-all of…us?”

“You’ll be just fine. They don’t bite.” Chris squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Together, they walked into the lobby and Chris led her over to a bank of elevators. Just as they walked up, an elevator opened, letting its passengers out. Chris motioned for her to walk ahead of him and get in. He pushed a button and immediately the door closed, shutting them off from the world for a few moments.

“You okay?”

“I’m alright. Just kinda wished I had worn heels, so I didn’t feel so short next to you.”

“Babe, you may be short, but you’re mighty.”

Emily chuckled. “Hmmm…good things come in small packages.”

“They most certainly do, Ms. Lawrence,” he said seductively.

Emily backed up as much as Chris would allow her. “Hold on to that image for later, Pine.”

Within minutes the elevator had risen to the desired floor and the door opened onto a bustling lobby. A receptionist at a high desk was fielding phone calls over a wireless headset. As they walked up, she finished with her conversation on the phone and disconnected the line.

“Mister Pine, welcome home.”

“Thank you, Marjorie. It’s good to be home. We have an appointment with John at ten. The rest of my team should be meeting us here.”

She checked her computer screen. “Yes, Sir. They’ve already arrived. I’ll show you to the conference room.” She walked around her desk and joined them.

“Thank you.”

Emily took a deep breath and together they followed Marjorie towards the back of the office. She noticed some people watching them with curiosity as they walked by. She straightened her back and kept her head held high as they reached a set of double doors. Marjorie opened them, motioning them inside.

“There’s already refreshments on the table, but if you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“Thanks.”

As Marjorie left, Chris and Emily walked into the room. Immediately they were greeted by several people. The men were dressed in business suits and power ties. The women in conservative but classy blouses and skirts.

One of the men extended his hand towards Chris. “Welcome home, Chris.”

Chris shook his hand. “Thanks Roger. It’s good to be back. I’d like to introduce you to someone. Everyone, this is Emily Lawrence, my girlfriend.” As he made introductions around the room, Chris motioned to each person. “Ems, this is Roger Dawkins, my manager; Angela Steele, my publicist; John Thalmer, my agent; Jennifer Kyle, my attorney; and you already know Sarah.”

“It’s nice to meet all of you.” Emily shook each of their hands in turn.

“So, this is the extraordinary woman that you’ve told me about, Chris.” Roger studied Emily for a moment, then turned to him. “Your description on the phone didn’t do her justice.” He turned back to Emily. “You’re beautiful.”

“Umm…thank you,” Emily said hesitantly, blushing slightly. As she was looking from Roger to John, she noticed an almost imperceptible nod between the two of them. It was almost as if they were silently communicating with one another.

As they sat down, Chris pulled out a chair for Emily, then took a seat next to her. Emily could feel the men’s eyes on her as she relaxed back in her chair. She recognized the look in their eyes. They looked at her as if they were cats and they had just been given a big bowl of cream to devour. She shook off the feeling and turned to Chris as he started to speak.

“I know that we’re supposed to talk about my plans for the next year and everything, but I believe that there’s an issue that we need to tackle first. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve asked Emily to be here.” Chris looked over at Angela.

Before Angela could speak, Emily straightened her spine and raised her voice. She looked around the table at each of them in the eye. “Before we get started, I want to apologize for any damage that I might’ve done to Chris’ career. I know we should’ve planned better for what happened at the airport, but I don’t think that either one of us realized that it would be such a frenzy. It wasn’t Chris’ fault. It was mine and I take full responsibility for it, since Mac is my child.”

Roger smiled. “Damn, Chris, I like her already. Not only are you beautiful, but you’ve got fire in you. That was one helluva an apology, but entirely unneeded, my dear.” He turned to the others, including them with a hand gesture. “First of all, I think I can say for all of us that we’re glad that your daughter wasn’t hurt. From the look that was on his face, I think we’re lucky that I’m not bailing Chris out of jail right now. Being ambushed the way you were can be traumatizing, especially for a little girl who isn’t used to it. And her mother.” He smiled gently at her. “After I got off the phone with Chris last night, I called Angela and we did some digging. The reason why there was such a frenzy was that they were tipped off that you were flying in yesterday.” He turned to Chris. “You have to remember that you pulled quite the disappearing act when you left. So when the paps were informed that you were coming back, it naturally created something that I don’t think any of us were really prepared for. We’re not sure who did it, but we’re thinking that it was someone associated with the travel agency that Disney used or the airline. You can be assured that we’ll find out and deal with it accordingly.” He stopped, looking to Angela to continue.

Angela picked up where Roger left off. “Now, there is the matter of the art. The ones that are using the picture where you can see Mackenzie’s face are foreign publications. Unfortunately we don’t have much we can do because the laws where these pictures are being used are different than ours. They allow the photography of a celebrity’s children. There is one magazine over here that isn’t using a picture of her face, but they are in the midst of writing an in-depth piece on why Chris disappeared and then the appearance of you and your daughter. Of course, they’re speculating that Mackenzie is his. The background that they’re using is that you two met and had a secret affair and he’s now ready to acknowledge her. Maybe because you’re pressuring him for money or what have you. We all know that’s not the case. The newest part of the group here is John and he knows Emily’s background. I’ve tried what I can to make them stop the article but they won’t. Most of the gossip sites are running with it, as well. They think they have something juicy.”

Emily shook her head. “They don’t. I didn’t even know Chris until the last week of May when he flew out to Lancaster. We didn’t start dating until about two weeks later.”

Chris grabbed her hand. “Honey, that’s what these bottom feeders do. It’s okay.” He turned to Angela. “Wait a minute, you ran her background?”

Roger pointed to a file in front of him. He started reading off the topmost sheet. “Emily Elizabeth Lawrence. Born September seventh, 1980. Father, Chief Charles Lawrence, Lancaster Police Department. Mother, Roberta Anne Lawrence, deceased. Graduated, 1998, Lancaster High School, Valedictorian. Declined Scholarship from Pace University, New York City, New York. Accepted a full academic scholarship from Bowling Green State University. Graduated, 2002, with a Bachelors in English Lit with a double minor in Theatre and Psychology.” Roger looked up at Emily. “It looks like you were married soon after graduation from college then divorced in 2005. You have one child, a daughter, named Mackenzie Christine, born in 2006. Do I need to continue?”

Chris and Emily shook their heads in unison.

“I have to say Emily, if I can call you by your first name, that when I looked at your background, you impressed the hell out of all of us. No wonder you caught Chris’ eye. Smart and beautiful.” He turned to Chris. “It is part of my job, you know, to protect you. And I was doing it.”

Emily cleared her throat. “Is there anything in there that might throw up any red flags with Chris’ image?”

“To be honest? Nothing. You’ve raised a child on your own, which is a hard feat. There’s no mention of the father. You’ve lost a parent, which had to be devastating. In fact, I admire you and I admire Chris for wanting to be with you. We’ve had many conversations on the phone about you and Mackenzie. In my professional opinion, you might just make his image better than it was before. But I also know that when it comes to relationships, Chris here doesn’t let his image rule his life. He’s with you because he wants to be. From my standpoint here in Hollywood, though, I like the look of the two of you together. We all do.”

Emily let out a relieved breath as she felt Chris grab her hand and squeeze.

“See, I told you,” he whispered as he leaned near her. Then he straightened. “So, Angela, what do you want to do?”

“Well, we have two options. We either do nothing and let the article come out, or we fight the article coming out, draft a statement, and threaten to sue them for libel. If they do print the story, we’ll force them to print a retraction. And we can go after the websites. I’ve already consulted with Jennifer on that, and we both agree that it would be best that we go with option two. We talk to a more reputable magazine and have them do a more researched, better crafted article. So if we can’t get the one magazine to back off, we can counter by the one that we choose. If we do stop the article, we’ll still have the spread that we want. When are you leaving to go back to Ohio?”

“We’re leaving right after my birthday,” Chris confirmed.

Angela continued. “Then in the meantime, we show everyone that you’re not hiding. Arrange public appearances, maybe go to a club opening, show that you two are truly invested in this relationship, which I believe you really are. The majority of the comments that we’ve seen on the message boards have been extremely positive. Most of the fans like seeing you like this. Look for yourself.” She pointed to the papers that were in front of Chris.

Emily moved closer to Chris as he flipped the pages to the printouts of the different websites. They started reading the messages that were left on the boards. Most of them inquired about who Mac was and if she was all right. There were a few that were jealous of Emily and Mac and wished that they could be in their position, which Emily immediately dismissed. She knew that there were going to be the haters. A lot scolded the paparazzi and were disgusted that they ambushed the threesome. There were even some that complemented Chris and Emily on the way they handled the situation. One of them caught Emily’s eye. ‘ _It’s nice to see Chris Pine as a family man. It’s obvious that he cares deeply for the little girl and the woman next to him. He’d make an awesome dad one day. All men should be like that and take lessons from him. BTW, the woman next to him is beautiful and the little girl is so cute. Chris and Mystery Woman make a great-looking couple. We love you Chris.’_

Emily pointed to the comment, and Chris acknowledged it with a raised eyebrow. He glanced over at Angela, thinking, then tented his hands in front of him. “Let’s put out a statement, thanking everyone for their concern and support. Let them know that Mac’s fine, and that we’re happy, but to allow us privacy. You know, the same old bullshit that you’re so good at.”

“How do you want identify Emily or do you even want to?”

Chris and Emily looked at each other, and she shrugged.

“They’re going to find out eventually who we are. So, let’s control the situation and take that away from them. I’m done hiding, Chris.” Emily turned to Angela. “Go ahead and release my name and confirm our relationship.”

“Are you sure about this?” Chris asked. “We don’t have to go public.”

“I’m positive, Chris. I spent ten years hiding. I’m not doing it anymore. If they find out about my past, then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. You told me that once we were here, that people will find out who I am, so let them. I’m not afraid. It might even get you more fans if they find out that you’re dating a single mother. Not a lot of men would take that on.” Emily turned back to Angela. “The only thing that I’m worried about is some of his fans can be a little crazy and a tad possessive of him. I know that there’s going to be hate that’ll inevitably be directed at me and Mac.” Emily stopped, thinking for a moment. “Would it help if I got my story out there so they know where I’m coming from?”

Chris reached for her hand again. “Honey, you know how much trouble you had telling me everything. Are you even ready for that?”

“I don’t know. I’m just trying to think of things that might help.”

“Tell you what, how about if Angela comes over to the house later when Katie, Mom, and I can be there? It’s a safe, casual environment and you can decide then if you want to tell your story or not.”

Emily nodded, missing the looks that each of them were giving the others.

Angela wrote some things down on the tablet in front of her. “So, we’ll release a statement with Emily’s name and all of that. And I’ll keep trying to get them to stop the article. I’m not sure how successful I’ll be, but if I hint at suing them, it just might work. We’ll also threaten lawsuits against the gossip websites until they get their facts straight.”

“Sounds good. Now about D23 this weekend,” Roger started. “You’re only going to be required to go for a little bit. You’ll talk about the story behind the movie, and what it meant to you. That type of thing. The rest of the time you can do meet and greets or whatever. I’ve already got the V.I.P. passes for Emily and her daughter and made arrangements for them to be in the wings when you do your bit on stage.”

“Cool.”

“Disney was also very happy to provide passes to the parks and whatever else you might need for the three of you in exchange for doing this. Have you ever been to Disneyland, Emily?”

“No, I haven’t. This is actually the first time I’ve been to California. And this is Mac’s first vacation. I have a feeling this is going to spoil her for anything else that we might do.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Because I think this next thing is going to blow your socks off. John, why don’t you tell him.”

“John?” Chris asked.

John took a breath. “Sitting in front of me is an offer for the role of Steve Trevor for _Wonder Woman_. Yes, it’s a comic book movie, but they’re setting it in the past, during the World War I era. It’s going to be shot mainly around different locations in London and Italy.” Before Chris could speak, John held up his hand. “I know you said you wanted to take a year off, but they’re willing to pay you a lot of money to do this. You won’t be on set all the time and you’ll have time to sightsee and still be on a break. And no matter what, you’ll get two weeks off between Christmas and New Year’s so you can fly back here for the holidays.”

“When does it start shooting?”

“November.” John passed the contract over to him to look at.

Chris flipped through the pages as Emily read over his shoulder. He glanced over at her.

“What do you think?”

Emily held her mouth open in shock. “You’re asking my opinion?”

“What I do affects you and Mac as well, so what do you think?”

“Chris, it’s your life.”

“It’s yours, too. Yours and Mac’s.” He turned back to John. “How long is the shooting scheduled to be?”

“Seven months.”

“Damn, that’s a long shoot. And I don’t want to be away from Emily and Mac that long.”

“The production is providing accommodations, so you won’t be living out of a hotel room, if that helps any.”

“It really doesn’t.” Chris stopped for a moment. Emily could see the wheels turning in his head. “How bad do they want me?”

“Bad. They think you’re perfect for the role.”

“Alright. Go back to them with this. I’ll do it, but they have to allow Emily and Mac to travel with me. I’m not leaving my girls for seven months. I’ll need a tutor for Mac so she doesn’t fall behind in her studies. Emily and I can make arrangements with her school to get her work for that time. You can tell them that my relationship status has changed or however you want to word it. But I want them with me.”

John glanced over at Emily. “Do you have passports?”

“We’re in the process of getting them. Chris figured that we might need them.”

“I’ll get right on this and see what they say. You don’t really ask for much, so this should be a relatively easy sell.”

“Well, if they bite, then I guess we’re going to London! How do you feel about that, Ems?”

Emily took a deep breath before blowing it out through puffed cheeks. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. As long as you’re sure this is what you want.”

“Of course it is. You need to stop asking if I’m really sure about our relationship. Trust me, all right?”

Emily nodded with a smile. “Then let’s do it. Mac’s gonna freak out when we tell her.”

John interjected. “Remember that it’s not a done deal yet, so I’d hold off on breaking the news.”

“Agreed.” Chris passed the contract back over to John. “Any other pressing matters?”

“None that I can think of.” John gathered up his papers and stood, the rest followed suit. He extended a hand to Emily. “Emily, it was a great pleasure meeting you. Roger was right,” John told her cryptically.

“Thank you. It was nice meeting you as well.”

John turned his attention to Chris and shook his hand firmly. “I’ll be touch. I’m sure this will go our way, don’t you worry.”

Chris and Emily were escorted out of the conference room with assurances that each member of the team would do their assigned tasks. The couple rode down the elevator silently and walked out of the building.

As they reached the parking lot, Chris wrapped his arms around Emily’s waist, lifted her up and spun her around. “You were amazing in there. I’m so proud of you.”

“Yeah?”

“Babe, you took my breath away. You were magnificent.” He lowered her down to the ground. “I’m in awe.”

“I just took my cues from you. I guess something kicked in and took over.”

“Well, it worked. You had all of them eating out of the palm of your hand.”

“Whatever, Pine.”

As they made their way to his car, Chris’ phone rang. He pulled it out of his back pocket. “Hello?”

Emily looked up at him curiously. “What?”

He held a finger up as he listened to the conversation on the other end of the line. “Yeah, we’re in the parking lot.” He paused again. “Holy fucking shit…they agreed that fast? They must really want me.” He stopped, taking a breath. “More? And a nanny, if we need it? And the tutor?” Chris ran his fingers through his hair. “Fuck…I never thought…we’ll be right up.” He disconnected the line, shoving the phone back into his pocket. “Ummm…we have to go back in for a second.” 

“Why?”

Chris’ face broke out into a wide grin. “Looks like the three of us are going to London and Italy in November, if you want.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit…they agreed to it?”

“They did.” They turned back and started walking towards the building. “When they drew up the original contract, they didn’t realize that you and I were that serious. John informed them that we were. He might’ve fudged the facts a little, but that’s okay. They came back and agreed to what we wanted. A lot of it is actually standard on most contracts when it comes to families. They’re providing Mac with a tutor for school and a nanny if we want.”

“Are they going to let us choose the nanny?”

“They are.”

They made their back inside to the bank of elevators, and waited until there was one available. Emily was wrapping her brain around the whole thing. She pulled on his hand. “I know who I would want, and it wouldn’t be just for Mac it would be for me, too.”

Chris looked down at her. “You want Kim, don’t you?”

“I do. Mac’s familiar with her. If I were to visit on set or something or if we had to leave her behind in London for some reason, Kim would take care of her. And the biggest thing is that I trust her. It would be one less thing for us to adjust to.”

“You think Kim would leave the glamor of the Blue Oyster?”

Finally, an elevator arrived, letting its passengers disembark. They strode in, the doors sliding shut behind them. Chris pressed the button to the desired floor.

“She’d leave in a heartbeat, Chris. I wasn’t the only one that Steve was harassing. He was doing it to Kim, too.” Emily watched as Chris mulled everything over in his head for a moment.

Then he grinned. “I know I’m going to get in trouble for this, because the two of you are crazy together. When we get home, you better call Kim and tell her that she better get her passport in order. She’s leaving for London in November.”

Emily rose up on her tip-toes and kissed Chris on the cheek. “Thank you.”

When the elevator doors opened, they were again greeted by the bustling office. John was waiting for them, along with Roger.

“Chris, Emily, come on back to my office.”

They followed John back to a corner office. He gestured to a couple chairs. “Please have a seat.” As they situated themselves, John walked around his desk and sat down. He set a stack of papers in front of Chris. “They just faxed over the new contract along with the riders that you requested. They’re going to send over a list of tutors for the both of you to go over as well as nannies.”

Emily glanced from Chris to John and shook her head. “We don’t need the list of nannies. There’s someone from back home that Mac is already comfortable with. She’s a very good friend of mine and has known Mac since she was born. I want her and she already has a passport. It would lessen the stress on both Mac and me if we didn’t have to go through more adjustments than absolutely necessary.”

John put his hands down on the desk. “Sounds like you have everything already worked out.” He looked past them to Roger, arching his eyebrow.

Chris flipped through the papers, reading the contract until the last page. “This looks good.” He grabbed a pen and where a small ‘x’ was, signed his name. “I’ll need a copy of that.”

“Of course, Chris.” John stood up. “I’m happy for you. I know you’ve wanted to work with Patty for a while.”

“Yeah, I have. And the role was interesting. You don’t see many men in supporting roles where the main character is a strong woman.”

“No, you don’t.” John looked at the couple. “I wanted to say away from everyone that for the first time since I met you, you genuinely look happy, Chris. You look more relaxed than I’ve ever seen you.”

“Thank you, I am. I owe it all to Ems and the little girl that my sister is taking care of right now. They’ve given me a different perspective on things.”

John walked back around his desk and extended his hand, which Chris took. “Well, it’s working for you. It was good seeing you, Chris. And Emily, I hope to be seeing more of you in the future.”

“I’ll walk you out,” Roger told them.

They made smalltalk on the way out to the parking lot. Roger was curious about what else they had planned during their visit. As they reached Chris’ car, Roger shook Chris’ hand then Emily’s, touching her hand a little more than necessary.

Just by looking at him, Emily could tell that he was sizing her up. For what reason, she didn’t know. _Maybe that’s the way everyone is here. Looking for the next big thing._ As they drove out of the parking lot, she watched as Roger made his way back into the building and promised herself that she would ask Chris about it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for sticking with me. I'm planning on updating Learning to Live. I know it's marked complete, but I want to go back and there's a couple scenes in the very beginning that I've added to, that I think makes it better. Have a look and tell me what you think... Thanks.


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